Adventure in the Forest (film #8 in the General section of the State of Israel section of Stephen Spielberg Jewish Film Archive). [Category: Public Service]

In this early-60s Israeli film, a group of schoolchildren take a field trip to a nearby forest. There they discover damage done to trees. They enlist the help of an Israeli guy in a cowboy hat, and, interestingly enough, an Arab. These two discover that the damage to trees is being done by a low-to-the-ground furry animal that snorts like a pig; it’s perhaps a wild boar, but it’s hard to tell. The film is all in Hebrew, so the story is a bit difficult to follow, though it is followable. The film plays a bit like a Western, but with kibbutz-like elements thrown in. It is an interesting example of an Israeli ephemeral film, though.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ***. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ***.